


Traces of life

by taywin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 21:32:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14839547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taywin/pseuds/taywin
Summary: When your family isn't there, you try to find one wherever you can.





	Traces of life

**Author's Note:**

> Non-english speaker here, so it may be mistake. Feel free to point them.  
> Disclaimer: Nothing mine, otherwise I wouldn't be writting fanfic.

His first memory is of a woman singing, it is sweet and soothing and alternates between speak and melody as if she were just learning the song. It is barely a whisper but there is no other sound in the room so it can be perfectly heard. He likes to think it is his mother, but he can't be certain. He is too young to remember. 

He is old enough in the next one, and he is sure it is his mother who is taking a bath while he plays in the bedroom. The yelling start but he knows better than interrupt when adults are talking. However, his child curiosity get the best of him, so he peeks through the door to see what happens. Nobody notices him when he watches in silence how they shout each other.

His mother, still naked, makes angry gestures with her hands and arms. Then, after a crude remark of his father that he can't understand yet, she closes the two steps between them and slaps him on his face, leaving a red print on his cheek. His father is furious, he can tell for how his breath shortens and his knuckles whitens. He fists her hair and drags her to the bathtub, yanking her down so her head is inside. There is some struggle and then she goes quiet. He runs to his bedroom, hearing the slamming of the door a little later. 

The elves take care of him now. At first he doesn't understand so his father gives him the newspaper to read. His mother is death, she has fallen asleep while bathe, it is a sad accident or so it says. The elves who should had been taking care of her pay with their life, but it is not enough to him and he makes it his responsibility to teach them their place.

His childhood goes and he spend long days in the manor on his own. Abraxas is always travelling and he isn't there to see the first display of magic of his son. Lucius has no one to show how he transfigures a rabbit in a cup. He decides it looks better as a cup.

His Hogwarts letter arrives and his father is finally at home to see. With a wide smile he hands it to him. The man takes it and gives it back after a quick glance, his eyes in the newspaper again. He informs him without looking that he goes on a business trip next day. Lucius is left to buy his school supplies alone and several dark art books are added to the basket.

He finishes his first year with the highest grades, he is the best student of his generation. Proud of himself, he shows the school report to his father when he picks him to the station, the man just lifts an eyebrow and reminds him how meaningless it is, nobody would expect less of a Malfoy.

The next year he meets his future wife, he knows it from the first time he sees her. She is beautiful, brilliant, perfect and they fall in love, the idea of a real family forming in his head. It is then when he learns it is better to take what he want and deserve, and how easy to manipulate the others to make his will. They worship him and crave for his approbation and he likes that. They are better family than his father ever was, and he realizes he doesn't need him anymore.

The summer of his fifth year he is selected as a prefect. He has stopped trying by now. Not letter is shown, nor comment is made, not even when his father stares at him during breakfast. He goes to buy his supplies alone, he doesn't ask for help and this is not offered.

Diagon alley is full of people, and he joins to some friends that are there for the same reason that him. His girlfriend is accompanied by her eldest sister and she introduces him to a man who looks impressed by his talents.

They talk about everything, even when the others have left, this is the first time and adult pays any attention to him. He tells him about his cause and Lucius is sure if there is someone who can make it possible, it is man in front of him. He is reluctant to bowing down to someone, but he accepts to help even if only to humour the older.

His mission is the recruitment of new members. He selects students with potential and convince them of joining to the cause. It isn't hard, they admire him, they trust him, and with a simple smile most of them follow. Some are harder to recruit, but at the end he always gets what he wants. For the first time an adult is proud of him and he is not willing to let him down.

He is seventeen and his letter arrives with the head boy badge. He doesn't spare a look to his father and writes directly to the Dark Lord, as the man make himself call, agreeing to meet that same afternoon. They toast at the news and he is asked to prove his worth and join officially to the family, the death eaters. There is no doubts anymore and he is eager to do it. The dark lord explains him that to demonstrate his dedication to the cause a killing is demanded, the complicity will glue them together, and it sounds so logical that he can't disagree.

It is quick and clean, he hates blood and doesn't want to dirt his robe. The lungs of his victim fills with water and he falls in the spot in less than a minute. His master is pleased, and he extends his arm for the mark to be tattooed. It's hurts but the Lord says it is necessary. He believes him.

His wedding is close to his twentieth birthday, Narcissa has already graduate and it has taken them almost a year in organize the ceremony. His friends and the Lord are there. He doesn't know if his father attended and he wonders if he would be capable of recognizing him, it's been years he had not seen him. He doesn't care, his real family is with him.

They decided to have a baby, a new generation advocated to the cause and the Dark Lord is pleased. Things aren't easy for them, Narcissa has many miscarriages and they start to become inpatient. The Lord does too. They have tried everything, legal or not, but nothing works. He feels fear, the dark lord wants this baby as soon as possible. Something tells him this is not the same cause he joined so many years ago and he isn't sure if he wants to be a part of it anymore.

One of his friend comes with an experimental potion, a gift for them both. Narcissa finally gets pregnant and Lucius knows he owns him his and his wife's life. They share the same fear and they promise to protect the other to the end. They don't say it out loud, not then not ever. His loyalties change that day.

Draco is born a five of June. His little hands play with his hair and the first smile is dedicated to him. He understands now what a father is and that neither his father nor the Dark Lord have filled that void. In the dark of the night, he swears to his son he will never feel that way. He will always be there for him, it does not matter how insignificant the problem might be.


End file.
